Police link sex assault suspect to previous crime

Both alleged crimes happened at Walmart

Less than a month after a Massachusetts man was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a young girl inside a Plaistow Walmart, he's facing more charges in connection with a 2011 case of indecent exposure at a Salem Walmart.

Salem police said the 2011 case had gone cold until officers noticed similarities between the case in Plaistow and the one in Salem.

In the 2011 incident, a man exposed himself to a young girl in the Salem store.

News of the crime shocked residents in the area and police began searching for a suspect. Despite an extensive investigation, and photos from security cameras, police were not able to make an arrest.

"The case went cold. We were unable to identify the suspect," said Sgt. Marc Prescott.

It wasn't until last month when there was a similar incident at a Walmart in Plaistow.

"An individual was arrested in Plaistow for sexually assaulting a female at the Walmart there at that location and resembled the individual that we had in September of 2011," said Prescott.

Ronald Beausoleil, 32, of Haverill, Mass., was arrested in the Plaistow incident. When police in Salem saw his photo, they immediately made the connection. Salem police were able to bring in the victim from the original incident to make a positive identification.

"They were able to put together a photo lineup and the female victim as well as an adult witness both positively identified Mr. Ronald Beausoleil as the dame individual," said Prescott.

Beausoleil is being held on $10,000 cash bail relating to the Salem charges, that's on top of the bail from the Plaistow charges.